Collapsible frame for baby carriage



y 1956 M. D. WELSH ET AL I 2,744,760

COLLAPSIBLE FRAME FOR BABY CARRIAGE Filed Oct. 50, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //l/1//2/f0/?5 MATILDA D. WELSH FREDERICK EDWARD MILLER y 8, 1956 M. D. WELSH ET AL 2,744,760

CQLLAPSIBLE FRAME FOR BABY CARRIAGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 30, 1955 5 H R w u u f H. z w M V W D A M D %\\N M M K lg m E D E R F 3 V OE MR V a F a United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE FRAME FOR BABY CARRIAGE Matilda D. Welsh, La Due, and Frederick Edward Miller,

'. Louis, Mo.; said Miller assiguor to Welsh Company St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application October 30, 1953, Serial No. 389,431 6 Claims. (01. 280-36) This invention pertains to baby carriage frames of the collapsible type.

Frames of this type have become popular, in which each side frame involves a pair of bars crossed at their middle portion in the form of an X. Such an X-frame usually spans the whole side area of the baby carriage and as far as its appearance is concerned is a very conspicuous part of the design. Such an X-frame is ungraceful and detracts from the general appearance of the article. An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a col lapsible frame which has a more attractive appearance and the outline of which can be blended with the general contour of a baby carriage.

Further objects will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which i Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a baby carriage equipped with a collapsible frame embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view somewhat enlarged of one of the side frames of the carriage shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the side frame in collapsed position;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary rear view about on line 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary 'view on line 77 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the collapsible frame consists essentially of a pair of bars indicated at A and B respectively. These bars may be of flat metal strip of approximately 1 inch in width by inch in thickness, bent edgewise to the form shown. These bars may, however, be made of other materials and formed in any manner suitable to the material. In the embodiment shown, the bar A has a middle portion 1 extending substantially horizontally when the frame is in its extended position as shown in Fig. 2. The rear portion 2 of the bar A is turned upward as shown in Fig. 2 and its forward portion 3 is turned downward as shown in the same figure.

Similarly, the bar B has a middle portion 4 extending horizontally, its forward portion 5 being turned upward and its rear portion 6 being turned downward. This gives each of these bars the general form of the letter S and for convenience they will be designated hereinafter as 8- bars. While in the form shown in Fig. 2, the middle portions 1 and 4 are each straight for a certain length thereof; this is not an essential feature in all cases, as the curves of the portions 2 and 3 may join each other directly at the middle portion without such a straight section.

The bars A and B are connected together at their middle portions by a slidable connection. A slot 23 in the bar A and a similar slot 24 in the bar B, each extending along the middle portion of the bar, are arranged to receive a pin 25 traversing both slots as shown in Fig. 5 with suitable spacer washers therebetween.

In order to support the baby carriage on its wheels, a

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. member 7 in the usual manner and are in turn supported on wheels 12a.

What has thus far been described constitutes one side frame of the carriage, a duplicate side frame being provided on the opposite side thereof. Pivoted at 13 to the upturned forward end of the member B is a supporting member 14. The body 15 of the baby carriage may be of any suitable design and may be provided with an upper frame 16 which may be attached in any suitable manner to the supporting members 14 at the two sides thereof so as to support the body on theframe. The rear portion 2 of the bar A is made shorter than the forward portion and is pivoted at its terminal at 17 to a handle bar frame 18. The lower end of the frame 18 extends below the pivot 17 and is arranged to engage a latch 19 pivoted at 20 to the bar A and biased by a spring 21. When engaged by this latch, the frame 18 is held upright as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The supporting member 14 is also pivoted to the frame 18 at 22.

The lower part of the handle bar frame 18 has also pivoted, thereto at 26a link 27 shaped to conform to the portion 2 of the bar A so as to be hidden thereby when the frame is in extended position as in Fig. 2. This link is pivoted to the bar B at 28. These connections provide operating mechanism for collapsing the frame. When the frame is in its extended position as in Fig. 2, the pin 25 is at the forward end of the slot 23 and at the rear end of the slot 24. Thus, whenthe handle bar frame is engaged by the latch 19, the frame is held rigid in this extended position. In order to collapse the frame, the latch 19 is pulled downward so as to disengage the handle bar frame which later is then moved forward or to the right, Fig. 2. This movement causes said frame to pivot at 17 on the bar A, moving the member 14 to the right and the link 27 to the left, 'Fig. 2. This action causes the bars A and B to slide onthe pin 25 and at the same time to swing on said pin as a pivot to the collapsed position shown in Fig. 3. The body 15 at the same time sinks downward between the two side frames to a position in which it practically rests on the axles 12. The frame may be extended to its original position by moving the handle bar frame 18 rearward. This moves the link 27 to the right, and sections 2 and 3 and the member 14 to the left, sliding the bars A and B on the pin 25 to the extended position of Fig. 2.

It will be seen that this invention provides a simple collapsible frame which has the geenral contour of the baby carriage body at its upper portion. In other words, the portions 2 of the bar A and 5 of the bar B may be formed to follow the contour of the adjacent partsof the body 15. The lower portions 3 and 6 may then be formed to have the appearance of feet upon which the body rests. This is believed to have a much more attractive appearance than the former X-frame.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the whole and improvements may be added while retaining some or all of the advantages of the invention.

' We claim:

1. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an 8- bar having its middle portion extending substantially horizontally with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having its middle portion substantially horizontal with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, a slidable connection between said middle portions for relative movement of said S-bars, a handle member connected to move said S-bars relatively at said slidable connection, a base member, movable connections between said S-bars and said base member, and a body supporting member connected to said upward-turned portions of said S-bars.

2. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an 8- bar having a straight middle portion of substantial length with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having a straight middle portion of substantial length with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, a shiftable connection between said middle portions of said S-bars, a handle member connected to shift said S-bars relatively, a base member, movable connections between said base member and said downward-turned portions of said S-bars, and a body-supporting member connected to said upward-turned portions of said S-bars.

3. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an 8- bar having its middle portion extending substantially horizontally with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having its middle portion substantially horizontal with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, a connection between said middle portions shiftable relatively to both for relative movement of said S-bars, a handle bar frame pivoted to said upturned portion of said first S-bar, and a body-supporting member pivoted to said handle bar frame and to said other upward-turned portion, whereby pivotal movement of said handle bar frame causes relative shifting movement of said S-bars.

4. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an S-bar having its middle portion extending substantially horizontally with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having its middle portion substantially horizontal with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, a slidable connection between said middle portions for relative movement of said S-bars, the upward-turned portion of one of said S-bars being shorter than that of the other, a handle-bar frame pivoted to said shortened portion, a body-supporting member pivoted to said handle-bar frame and to said other upward-turned portion,

and a link pivoted to said handle-bar frame and to said other of said S-bars, whereby pivotal movement of said handle-bar frame operates said link and said member to move said S-bars relatively to each other.

5. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an 8- bar having its middle portion extending substantially horizontally with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having its middle portion substantially horizontal with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, each of said S-bars having a slot therethrough extending along its middle portion, a pin extending through said slots connecting said S-bars for relative movement thereon, a handle member connected to shift said S-bars relative along said slots, a spring base member having its ends turned up, links connecting said lower portions of said S-bars to said turned-up ends, and a body-supporting member connected to said up-turned portions of said 8- bars.

6. A side frame for a baby carriage comprising, an 8- bar having its middle portion extending substantially horizontally with its forward portion turned downward and its rear portion turned upward, a similar S-bar having its middle portion substantially horizontal with its forward portion turned upward and its rear portion turned downward, each of said S-bars having a slot therethrough extending along its middle portion, a pin extending through said slots connecting said S-bars for relative movement thereon, a spring base member having its ends turned up, links connecting said lower portions of said S-bars to said turned-up ends, a body-supporting member connected to said up-turned portion of said S-bars, a handle-bar frame pivoted to one of said S-bars, and a link pivoted to said handle-bar frame and to the other of said S-bars whereby forward movement of said handle-bar frame operates said link to move said S-bars relatively on said pin to collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,355,039 Gibson Oct. 5, 1920 2,210,071 Feldman Aug. 6, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 379,924 Germany Sept. 1, 1923 

